Disclaimer: Mag 7 and the boys belong to other people. I borrow them for short times and then give then back for other people to borrow. I try not to hurt them too badly and always heal them completely before I give them back.
Universe: Old West
Synopsis: Ella gets what's coming to her... Consider this my sequel to the episode: Obsession. Many spoilers for that episode and Nemesis.
Rating: R for extreme violence and torture (alas, not to the boys... at least, not physical torture); bad language; abuse to a female.
****Angst alert***** Much angst, mainly for Chris and Buck
Main Characters: Chris, Buck, Vin, Ella
Kanahe and the rest of the Indian tribe are my own, but anyone is welcome to use them if they'd like.
The Indian's names were made up by the authors and have no meaning as far as we know in the Indian culture or Language. We did not research any Indian language for the names.
Vin Tanner was tired. He'd been on the trail for three weeks, following what had been a promising lead to a killer. A month earlier, Ella Gaines had escaped the grasp of the seven peacekeepers of Four Corners. She had spun a tale, making the men feel sorry for her, thinking she was in danger.
It was all a ploy to get Chris Larabee in her clutches and had nearly cost them all their lives. After a shoot-out at her ranch between the seven men and Ella's hired guns, she had managed to ride away, leaving a wounded and bleeding Larabee on the ground in her wake. Tanner and Buck Wilmington had tracked her from the ranch, but lost her within a week. Just days after returning to Four Corners, they received a telegram that a woman fitting Ella's description had been spotted near the tiny town of Russell.
Vin had convinced Larabee that he should follow up on this lead by himself. Chris was still recovering from his injuries and neither man wanted to leave the town short-handed of lawmen for an indefinite period of time. They were already down one man with Chris out of the action. So Larabee agreed that he should go alone, with Vin's assurance that he would be careful and check in often by telegraph.
Vin's promise to notify Chris immediately if she was found had been the only thing keeping a still recovering Chris from riding with him. It was hoped that by the time Vin was able to confirm or deny that the woman was Ella, Chris would be fully recovered from his wound and able to travel.
But the lead had proved false. Vin hadn't been able to verify that the woman seen had been Ella. And any traces of that woman had vanished. He stayed in the area an extra week, just to be sure. But it was time to head back. He'd decided to go back by a different route, which would bring him close to a small Indian village he was familiar with.
He planned to stay a couple of days to refresh his spirit from the long days of frustration and disappointment. He was still angry at himself for missing Ella with his hasty shot just before she rode away from the gunfight. Some sharpshooter, he chastised himself. She'd been too far for the bullet from his shortened barrel to reach her.
And he'd been too concerned with his friend writhing on the ground in pain to worry about following her at the time. He had hoped to remedy that mistake with this trip, but had been frustrated every step of the way.
He rode over a ridge and reined in his horse. A smile crept over his face as he looked down on the small gathering of tipis and saw the people moving around. He waited until someone noticed him. Less than a minute later, a young brave looked his way. Tanner saw him turn and call out to someone behind him.
Vin's smile grew as he recognized the man who approached the brave. It appeared that Kanahe was still the Chief of this little band. The older man looked up, watching. Vin removed his hat. Moments later, Kanahe grinned and started talking animatedly to several others who had gathered around him as he walked to the edge of the village.
That's what Vin had been waiting for. It was his invitation to enter the village. Kanahe had recognized him and was welcoming him.
Carefully, he guided his mount down the hill, pulling up a few feet from the Chief. He dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a young Indian boy who had run over at the Chief's instruction. The boy led the black horse to the riverbank where he would allow him to drink before removing his saddle and leading him to graze among the tribe's horses.
"Kanahe, thank you for welcoming me into your village," Vin said in the Chief's language.
"Silent One will always be welcomed by my people," the Chief replied. The two men smiled as they remembered how Vin had received his name when their village's medicine woman remarked that he was as silent as a shadow when he moved. She had been surprised that a white man could be so quiet. She'd declared that he must be part Indian.
"Come, eat with us," Kanahe invited.
They walked to the center of the village, the braves who had joined the Kanahe relaxing once they realized that the white man was a friend of their Chief. As they walked, Vin glanced around, recognizing a few of the others who were slowly moving back into the open, after hiding when the word first went up that a white man was on the ridge.
Many of the younger children shied away from him, the first white man they'd ever seen. Most of the others had seen whites before, many having no use for them. But this man was known to the older members of the tribe and had been welcomed by their leader as a friend. Therefore they would welcome him as well.
A high-pitched squeal from his left caused Vin to turn just as an older woman rushed up and hugged him. She spoke rapidly in her language, too rapidly for Vin to keep up. It had been many years since he spoken it.
Kanahe laughed as his wife fussed over the young man. Vin Tanner had saved the life of three of the tribe's children several years earlier. His act had given him status as a member of the tribe and Kanahe's wife, Susone, had taken over the role of mother for the already-grown Vin Tanner. She always welcomed him enthusiastically during his infrequent visits.
Vin's discomfort around women was obvious to the Chief and had always been a source of amusement. It didn't matter the age, women seemed to make him blush when they fussed over him. But just because he disliked like the attention, didn't mean he turned away from it. It wasn't so much that he was shy; it was more just a desire not to be the center of attention.
And it didn't keep him from spending time with the young Indian women who were willing. In fact, the young man never lacked for attention when he came to visit. More than one had tried to persuade the young man to stay with the tribe. But he always moved on.
Another scream brought Vin's attention away from the old woman. This scream was not one of pleasure, but pain. No one else in the village seemed in the least affected by the screams. Vin turned to the Chief.
"Someone's hurtin'," he commented.
"Yes. Do not worry. It will be over soon."
"Somebody hurt?"
"In a way, yes," the Chief replied cryptically. Vin frowned, then turned to move in the direction of the screams, which Vin could tell came from a female. Kanahe followed him, interested in the man's reaction to what he would see.
As Vin rounded a group of large trees another scream echoed. What he saw froze his forward motion. A woman was hanging between two trees, her arms stretched out, wrists tied with ropes, one attached to each tree. A white woman.
She was facing away from Vin, but her clothing and long brown curly hair was evidence of her color. The long locks were matted and ratty, her clothing torn and dirty. The rear of her dress was ripped open from neck to waist, baring the light skin underneath, which was marred with bloody slash marks,
While Vin watched, an Indian woman whom he recognized picked up a long thin switch and swung it against the exposed skin. Tanner flinched along with the woman, knowing how painful it was to be marked that way. He'd suffered that particular treatment in the past, although not by Indian hands.
"What did she do?" Vin asked, knowing that the punishment would not be unwarranted.
"She killed Little Dove's son."
Vin turned a shocked face toward Kanahe.
"Not Mondoc. Her younger son. You did not know him. He was born after you left." Kanahe did not say the young boy's name. This tribe, as many, did not speak the names of their dead, afraid it would call them back from the spirit world.
"How'd it happen?"
"She tried to steal a horse. Her own was lame. Our warriors tried to stop her. The boy had been sitting near the women while they sewed and talked. She rode the horse straight through them. A hoof hit him in the head. We could not save him."
Vin heard the sadness in his voice and saw the pain in his eyes. Any child of the tribe was a child of the Chief and Vin knew the old man would have felt the loss deeply.
"What's a white woman doing so far out?" Vin asked. "It's several hours ride to any white town."
"We do not know," Kanahe replied. "We looked for her people. We did not want her men coming into the village looking for her. But she was alone. We found no other tracks and no signs of other whites."
"Know her name?"
"She will not tell us. She offers us money for our loss," Kanahe spat in disgust.
"Reckon I can talk to her, ask her name, in case she has family? Should let em know she's dead."
Kanahe was pleased. Yes, Silent One understood the Indians right for vengeance and would not interfere. Not that Kanahe was surprised.
"I will ask Little Dove," he offered. "She has control of the woman's destiny."
Kanahe approached the grief stricken mother and spoke softly to her. As Vin waited, others from the tribe gathered around, including Little Dove's husband and their surviving son. Neither was ever far away from Little Dove, both needing to be part of the punishment of the white woman who had caused so much pain.
There had been much discussion in the tribe about what to do with the woman. Eventually, the Chief had decided to leave her punishment up to the dead child's parents. Little Dove's husband, Tonti, had wanted to just kill her outright. But Little Dove would not settle for a quick death. Her grief demanded retribution. The others left her to it, checking on her frequently to be sure she rested and ate. They all knew that the white woman would die. It was just a matter of when.
Vin Tanner knew it too. He'd spent enough time with The People to be aware of their customs and laws. This was justice being served as far as he was concerned. He was glad that the woman had been alone. He didn't want some white man's posse coming back and killing the tribe for doling out justice as the tribe deemed fit. "White's man's" justice had killed too many Indians already.
Vin would try to notify any family the woman had, but they would not be given any details of her death. No body would be retrieved, so no questions could be asked about the marks her body bore. She would die either way, and even though he might have to lie, it was a small price to pay for the continued safety of the tribe.
"Little Dove remembers you and knows you understand her grief. She gives her permission for you to speak with the woman," Kanahe told Vin when he joined the tracker again.
Vin nodded and walked toward the Indian woman. He placed a hand on Little Dove's arm as her husband moved to stand beside her.
"Thank you for lettin' me talk ta her. I'm sorry about your boy. May the Great Spirit welcome him."
A sad smile graced the face of Little Dove, then she closed her eyes and turned around, excepting the comfort offered by her husband. Tonti nodded at Vin, then led his wife away to get some rest. Others would keep watch over the captive until she could return.
Vin walked around the white woman, moving in front of her. Her head was down. Dirty, brown hair covered her face. She was panting, trying to get air into her laboring lungs through her sobs. Vin watched her for several minutes before he spoke, allowing her breathing to calm a bit.
"Do ya have any family ya want me to contact?" he quietly asked the battered woman.
Slowly, she raised her head, the hair still partially covering the dirt-crusted face. When she opened her eyes Vin gasped and took an involuntary step back.
For several moments neither spoke. "Vin? Vin Tanner?" The raspy voice was nothing like the woman he knew.
"Why don't it surprise me that you're the one involved in all this?" he asked, staring disgustedly at the figure before him.
"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed, not noticing the look on his face. She tugged at the ropes around her wrists. "Cut me loose. We have to get out of here."
"Ella, Ella, Ella," he said, shaking his head. "What the hell ya doing way out here, so far away from feather beds and hired killers."
"Cut me loose! We have to get away from these savages!"
"You're getting what ya deserve. Ya killed Little Dove's child."
"You bastard! You're the reason Chris turned against me!" Her normal lady-like appearance was marred by the dirt and grime of her situation.
Tanner smiled. "I believe this is what Josiah Sanchez would call...now how did he put it that time....oh yeah, 'de-vine intervention'. Looks like the Great Spirit has decided ya should pay for yer crimes."
"Crimes? I've committed no crimes. Now, cut me down. I'll make it worth your while."
"Ya gonna pay me to cut ya loose?" Vin asked.
"Whatever you want. I have more money then you would make in ten lifetimes," she replied eagerly.
"I don't want yer money."
"I can show you pleasures you've never experienced before." She tried to smile, but the sultry gaze she was aiming for looked ludicrous surrounded by the grimy face and matted hair.
He laughed. "You're gonna bed me?" he asked, incredulous. He began laughing harder, which caused her to scowl. "Lady, I wouldn't sleep with ya if ya were the last woman in the territory. I'd never be able to pull out the knife once ya stabbed me in the back."
"I thought you were a friend of Chris Larabee's," she said, seething.
"And I thought you loved Chris Larabee," he stated. "Ain't that what ya told him?"
"I do love him!" she cried. "If you let me go, he'll be forever grateful to you."
"If I let ya go, he'll shoot me."
"Christopher loves me," she insisted. "He'd thank you for saving me."
Vin just shook his head in disbelief. "You're insane. Ya killed his family. He wants ta see ya hang."
"No. No, Christopher would never allow that to happen. He understands I only did what I had to do so that we could be together. They were in the way. That woman and her brat were just confusing him, keeping him from me."
Vin watched her for several moments then reached to his belt and slid his long-bladed knife from its sheath.
Ella smiled. "Yes, that's right. Cut me loose and we can ride away from these savages. I promise you won't regret it." She turned and looked at her left wrist, sure she was about to be released.
She gasped when the blade touched her cheek. She felt the blunt end of the steel slide down her cheek and along her jaw. She slowly turned her face back to the front. Fear clutched at her as the tip of the knife moved to press into the flesh below her chin, pushing her head up so that she was eye-to-eye with Vin Tanner.
Hatred shot from the tracker's eyes and he pressed harder against the knife. She gasped again.
"I should kill ya right now," he hissed. "But Little Dove would hate me for deprivin' her of her justice."
"Who...who is Little Dove?" she stammered, trying not to move, afraid the blade would cut into her throat.
"Little Dove is the mother of the child ya killed," he snarled. "Just rode over him and trampled him under yer horse, like he was a piece of dirt!" He moved closer. She could smell the leather and sweat from his body. He reached up with his other hand and wrapped his fingers through her ragged hair, pulling back her head and exposing her throat. He repositioned the knife so that the blunt side of the blade lay alongside her neck.
He dragged the tip along her skin, across her throat to the other side of her neck. "If it was up ta me, I'd carve ya up and let ya bleed out, real slow," he whispered. "I'd lay ya spread-eagle in the desert, let the sun bake yer skin until it falls off yer bones, watch ya blister up and see yer eyes pop outta yer skull." His voice was low and intense, he knife blade moving along her skin as he continued. "Yer tongue would swell up so big ya wouldn't be able to swallow. Then ya wouldn't be able to breathe."
Although the words were softly spoken, he may as well have shouted them for the impact they had. Her eyes grew wider and her breath more rapid. He could feel her begin to tremble. It brought a smile to his face.
"Ya killed Sarah and Adam! Ya killed the boy in the village! No telling how many more deaths ya been responsible for. Ya deserve t' die and ya will. The tribe will see to it. And I reckon their way will be a lot more painful than a hanging, which is what ya'd get if I took ya back. But either way, ya'd be dead."
He pulled back and returned the knife to his sheath. Looking over her shoulder, he spoke to someone behind her in a language she didn't understand. After a few minutes of conversation he looked back at her.
"Enjoy yer stay in the village, Ella," he said with a smile. "The Chief and I need to talk."
He walked away, her shouting voice following him. "No! You can't leave me here! They'll kill me. Please! I'll give you anything you want. Anything."
He turned back to her. "Can ya bring Little Dove's son back? Can ya make it so Sarah and Adam are still alive? Cuz that's what ya'd have to do to save yer life."
She didn't reply, only began to struggle more fiercely. Vin spoke briefly to one of the braves, who nodded and turned back to the woman. They would keep a close eye on her. If Silent One said she was dangerous and clever, they would be sure that she was secured and couldn't escape.
Vin walked away with Kanahe as she began to yell again, cussing him and pleading for relief.
Chris Larabee leaned back in his chair outside the jail, balancing on the rear legs. He was feeling much better, the bullet wound in his side almost completely healed. Nathan had cleared him to be able to ride again several days earlier. He'd eagerly ridden out to his shack for a bit, returning to town just that morning.
He smiled as he watched the antics of JD Dunne and Buck Wilmington. It felt good to smile again. After everything he'd learned about Ella he never thought he would ever get over his rage and disbelief. The pain of Sarah and Adam's deaths could still overwhelm him. He still reeled from the discovery of her part in the murders, but tried to keep him mind on happier things. It wasn't easy.
When Ella had first come back into his life, he was ready for a little fun. And after experiencing the few short days at her ranch, he thought he'd even been ready to settle down again.
His guilt at bedding the woman who'd killed his family still caused his gut to clench, as did his callous dismissal of Vin Tanner for telling Chris the truth about Ella. He looked down the dirt street.
Tanner was out there somewhere, still chasing that murderous bitch. He'd vowed to Chris that he wouldn't return until he'd found her. Oh, how Larabee had wanted to ride out with him. But the younger man had been right. Chris just hadn't been well enough to accompany him.
Chris' thoughts were interrupted by a shout. "Mr. Larabee!" He glanced the other way to see Michael Tucker running toward him, waving a piece of paper. The Tucker boy was only ten years old, but he often delivered telegrams for his father, who ran the telegraph office. Michael jumped onto the boardwalk and stopped near Chris.
Michael held a paper out toward the gunfighter. "It's marked urgent," he said.
Chris took the paper and read it over. He smiled and reached into his pocket. He handed Michael a couple of coins. "I need you to send a reply for me."
"Of course, Mr. Larabee," Tucker said, following him inside. Chris pulled out a tablet of paper from the drawer and picked up a pencil. He jotted down some words and handed it to Michael, who ran out the door and raced back to the telegraph office.
Chris stood and walked down the boardwalk to the saloon. He'd seen Buck and JD enter a few minutes ago and figured he'd best let someone know he was leaving town.
He pushed open the batwing doors and headed for the corner table, not surprised to see the rest of the peacekeepers there.
"Morning, boys," he greeted them.
"Morning, Chris," JD said.
"Brother Chris." Josiah nodded a hello.
"How ya feelin' today, Chris?" Nathan asked, as always concerned for his friend's health.
"I'm fine. Just wanted to let y'all know I'll be leaving town for a while."
"Going back to your shack?" Buck asked.
"No, heading to Stacey."
"Stacey? That's three days ride. What's in Stacey?"
"Vin."
The other men didn't respond, but each knew what that meant. When Chris didn't elaborate, Buck stood up.
"He found her," he stated.
"Yes."
"She in jail?" Buck asked Chris.
"He didn't say."
"Alive?"
"I assume."
The other men followed the conversation closely, four heads moving back and forth between the two men.
"But you don't know?"
"Why else would he wire?"
"When are you leaving?" Buck held out his hand.
"An hour." Chris handed the telegram over to Buck, who opened it and read it out loud.
"Found her. Meet soonest. Stacey. Vin." He handed the paper back to Larabee. "I'm going with you."
"No."
"Yes, Chris."
"No, Buck."
"You know how I felt about Sarah and Adam."
"I have to do this alone, Buck."
"Why?"
"I just do."
"Damn it, Chris! I loved them too! I have the right to face her for what she did."
"Buck..."
"No! I am going with you! I don't care what you say. They were my family too. Sarah was like a sister to me. And you know how much I cared for that boy."
"Buck..."
"Don't try to stop me. I want to be there for you, Chris. And I'll just follow you if you..."
"Buck!" Silence swept through the room.
"What?!"
"You made your point."
"Does that mean I can ride with you?"
Chris sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry, Buck. I should have invited you to join me. Sometimes..." He closed his eyes. "Sometimes I forget that I'm not the only one who lost them." He opened his eyes and reached out his hand.
When Buck put his own hand out to shake, Chris grabbed his forearm, a gesture usually reserved for Vin Tanner. They locked eyes, over a decade of friendship reaffirmed in that gaze.
"Let's ride," Chris said. Buck nodded. They turned and walked away. Chris called over his shoulder. "We'll be back when we're done. We'll send word." Then with a swish of the batwing doors, they were gone.
Several long seconds of silence followed. Then Ezra picked up his ever-present deck of cards and began to shuffle.
"Any one for a game?" he asked.
Three days later, Chris and Buck rode into Stacey at sunset. They guided their horses to the livery and wearily slid from the saddle.
"Let's get a drink and something to eat," Chris said. "If Vin is in town he's probably in the saloon anyway."
"You think he'd stay in town?"
"Probably not, if he has Ella. But if I know Tanner, he probably camped outside of town with a view of the road in. If he doesn't contact us before dark, we'll get a room and wait."
Buck nodded, rubbed the kinks out of his back. The two men made arrangements for their horses with the livery operator, then trudged down the street. They stepped into the saloon and took a look around. Tanner was not in the room. Chris headed toward a table in the back of the room where they could keep an eye on the door and still have the wall at their backs. They ordered beer and food.
Vin didn't contact them, so they took a room at the boarding house across the street from the saloon. Both men drifted off to sleep fairly quickly, the long ride taking its toll.
Chris heard the soft noise, his hand wrapping around his gun before he was fully awake.
"Just me, Cowboy," the soft voice said.
"You keep doing that and you won't have to worry about hanging," Larabee told his friend. Vin chuckled, keeping his voice quiet, not wanting to wake Wilmington.
Chris sat up, watching the shadow of Vin move away from the wall into the low light of the coming dawn.
"You found her."
"Yep."
"Where is she?"
"Not far. Bout a four-hour ride from here."
"You left her alone?"
"Nope. Don't worry. She ain't going nowhere."
The way Vin said that told Chris that something unusual was going on, but he knew better than to press for more right now. You could never tell who might be listening.
"Wake up Buck. We'll get some breakfast and get going," Chris said as he slid out of bed and started to dress.
Vin nodded and walked over to the man sleeping on the other bed.
"Bucklin, wake your ass up!" he called. Wilmington stirred. "C'mon, Buck, we gotta get moving." The sleeping man grunted, turning onto his back. His eyes slid open.
"Vin, one of these days, I'm gonna shoot you," he grumbled.
Tanner chuckled. "Yep, but not today."
"We gotta ride, Buck," Chris said as he pulled on his boots. "We'll grab some breakfast and head out."
Buck rubbed his hand over his face and glanced at both men. "I suppose I have to wait to get any details." Vin just raised an eyebrow. "Forget I asked," Buck said. "I'm not sure I'm awake enough to hear it right now, anyway."
After both men dressed, the trio left the room.
The trio rode out of Stacey an hour later. Vin refused to give the other two any details while they were in town. A mile out of town, Chris patience finally gave out.
"You gonna tell us now, Tanner?"
Vin glanced over at his friend, then let his eyes slide over to Buck. He sighed.
"She was found wandering around in the desert," he answered, then looked away.
"Found by who?"
"Some friends of mine." Several seconds of silence followed.
"Tanner," Chris snarled.
"Look, the people that found her tried to help her. She turned on them. Someone got killed."
Chris and Buck were stunned. "She killed someone else?" Chris asked.
"Yeah. A little boy. He was only three."
"Oh, God!" Chris cried. "That woman..." He took a deep breath. "She ain't getting away this time. If I have to keep her hog-tied all the way back to Four Corners, she is not getting a chance to escape again."
Buck nodded his head in agreement, but Vin kept quiet. He knew that Ella would never make it back to Four Corners. Hell, she wouldn't ever leave the Indian village.
Four hours later, the trio reined in on the same hill Vin had topped when he'd first arrived a few days earlier. They looked down on the village. Vin had told them that they needed to wait until they were acknowledged before they entered the area. Once again, it was the youngsters who noticed the strangers first. Kanahe looked up at the cries of the children and waved at his friend.
Larabee started his horse forward, only to be stopped by Tanner.
"Chris, before we go down there, you need to know something," Vin said.
"Well, what is it? I want to get down there and make sure Ella knows she's gonna hang for killing my family."
Vin nervously licked his lips. He glanced at Buck, then looked down at the ground. "She won't hang, Chris," he said softly.
When he didn't elaborate, the black-clad gunslinger moved his horse closer to the tracker. "What the hell are you talking about, Tanner? That bitch is going back to face trial."
"No, she won't. They won't let you take her."
"I ain't leaving without her," he snarled. "You are just going to have to make them understand that she has to pay for killing my wife and son." Chris was angry and Vin didn't blame him. But he wasn't the only one to lose a son.
"Chris..."
"No! Dammit, Tanner, I've waited over three years to find out who killed my family. Now that I have the proof, no one is going to stop me from bringing her in. No one," he stated, poking a finger into Vin's chest.
"Chris, you gotta understand..."
"I understand that the bitch that killed my family is down there. She is the reason my wife and son burned to death and she's close enough for me to finally see justice done."
Buck Wilmington was watching the two friends go head-to-head. He didn't know why Vin was trying to keep Chris from bringing her to trial, but he'd been around the former bounty hunter long enough to know there must be a reason.
"Calm down, Chris, let the man talk."
"I don't want to hear him say anything about her not going with us when we leave."
"You gotta understand," Vin pleaded with him. "You aren't the only grieving parent here."
The anger at Tanner died quickly. Chris closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Shaking his head he opened his eyes and glanced over his shoulder toward the village. "Sorry, Vin. I know another child is dead. I didn't forget that. But, it's all the more reason to be sure she stands trial."
"She'll pay for what she did, Chris. But it'll be Indian justice."
Chris frowned. "Indian justice? What the hell does that mean?"
"Chris, you know that no white man's jury is gonna care that an Indian child died. And you also know that there's a chance that Ella won't hang for killing your family."
"I'll make sure she hangs."
"You won't be on the jury. You gotta know how hard it is for a jury of men to sentence any woman to hang. Specially one as pretty as Ella. She can talk her way outta this. Oh, she'll probably spend some time in jail, but there ain't no guarantee that she'll die."
"She definitely won't hang if we don't at least take her back for trial," Chris snarled.
"Look, you two, why don't we quit arguing about it and just head on down to the village," Buck suggested. "My butt is getting sore and that old Indian down there is startin' to give us funny looks."
Tanner and Larabee turned to look down. Kanahe was still staring up at the trio, no doubt wondering why they hadn't entered his village.
Vin nodded. "Let's go down. You can talk to the Chief and the boy's mother. Maybe then you'll understand better."
"I plan on taking her back, Vin. If that means I have to take her from those Indians, I will."
"Now, Chris, don't be trying to start a fight with those braves down there," Buck said. "There's a lot more of them then there are of us."
"I'll do whatever I have to do to bring my family's killer to justice. And I'll go through anyone who stands in my way," he said, staring at Vin, his message clear.
Vin's face went hard. "Tell me, Larabee, which one of those Indians you gonna kill to find justice for your family?" Tanner asked. "Cuz they ain't gonna let you take her out of there." Vin spurred his horse forward past the other two men and started down the hill.
Chris watched his friend ride away and cursed.
"C'mon, pard, let's get down there and see what's going on. Maybe we can work out a compromise."
Larabee didn't say anything, but followed the big man down the hill into the village.
Buck and Chris reached the bottom of the hill. The older Indian stood with his hand on Vin's shoulder, speaking quietly to him. Vin nodded and turned around to face the two newcomers. They dismounted and allowed one of the boys to take their horses.
"Welcome," Kanahe said.
"Thank you," Chris replied.
"Kanahe, this is Chris Larabee and Buck Wilmington, my friends," Vin began the introductions. "Chris, Buck, this is Kanahe, the leader of this village. And my friend."
Vin glared at Chris, daring him to dispute the tracker's relationship to the older man.
"It is good, Silent One," Kanahe assured him in English. "We will try to help your friends understand. Come, we will eat." He turned and walked away, fully expecting the others to follow him.
They four men settled around the fire, along with several of the other men. Two of the Indian women moved around them, offering bowls of food and skins of water. Several of the children, curious about the new white men in their camp, gradually crept closer. One brave young boy moved to stand next to Buck, intrigued by the bushy mustache. As the child leaned closer, Buck chewed more slowly, watching from the corner of his eye.
The boy raised a tentative hand and touched the furry creature on the big man's upper lip. Buck twitched, which caused the child to jump back in fright. Kanahe laughed. Wilmington reached up and smoothed the hair down again, watching the boy. He looked at Kanahe and winked, moving his mouth, making the mustached wiggle.
The boy giggled and moved closer. He touched the hair once more with a finger, moving slowly in anticipation of more twitching. Buck nipped at the finger. Again the boy jumped back
This time more of the Indian villagers laughed at his antics. The only one not laughing was Chris Larabee. He looked up from his bowl and saw Vin watching the young boy, a crooked grin on his face. Larabee sighed and turned to watch his old friend entertaining the boy.
He felt a sharp pain, remembering Buck playing with Adam the same way. Looking around, he noticed the other Indian children moving closer, smiles on their faces. One shy little girl, who couldn't have been more than five years old, moved closer and stood next to Chris. Her wide, dark eyes gazed up at the light haired man. She'd never seen anyone with yellow hair before.
She reached up and touched a blond tuft that escaped his black hat. He slowly turned his head to look at her, smiling at the beautiful dark-skinned face, with her curious child-eyes. She smiled back and softly spoke to him. He turned to Tanner for a translation.
"She said you have soft hair, like a...um...like a ...bunny," he mumbled.
Buck almost choked on his food. "Oh, pard..."
"Don't start, Buck," Chris scowled. The girl frowned at the look on his face, looking between the two men. Chris, realizing his mistake, smiled at the girl again. "Sorry, sweetie, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just upset with my friend. I'm glad you like my hair," he said, muttering the last part to the amusement of Kanahe, who translated for the little girl.
She turned and looked disapprovingly at Buck. She raised a fist and shook it at Buck, speaking sternly to him, her words unknown but her intent perfectly clear. Then she turned back to Chris. She patted his cheek and smiled, speaking again in that soft voice.
Vin and Kanahe laughed.
"What?" Buck asked. "What did she say?"
"It seems your animal magnetism ain't working on Morning Flower," Vin told him. "She said you shouldn't make fun of Yellow Hair just because his hair is prettier than yours. She said you're just jealous. And she told Chris that, if he wants, he can stay in the village forever."
Buck patted his hair and frowned. "I don't have pretty hair, huh? Maybe not, but I got a mustache," he said, smoothing it down with a thumb and forefinger.
Vin relayed his words to Morning Flower. She just shook her head and turned back to Chris. Running her finger across his bare upper lip, she smiled and commented again.
"She said Chris is more handsome because he's more like Indian men. And everyone knows that Indian men are braver and more fierce than white men. So Chris must be brave and fierce too," Vin translated. She patted Chris on the cheek again and then left with the other children, who were being called away by the women.
"Hmmm. I'm brave and fierce," Chris commented. "That beats animal magnetism any day of the week."
The men's laughter helped alleviate some of the earlier tension. None of them were surprised that a child was the cause.
"Okay, Vin, where is she?" Chris asked.
Tanner glared at his friend for several long moments, then gestured to an area behind Chris. As went to stand up, Vin stopped him.
"Chris, wait. There's some things you need to know..."
"All I need to know is that the woman who killed my family is here. And I intend to see her and take her back to hang."
Chris stood up and began to move toward the area. He was stopped again when Kanahe and two Indian braves blocked his path.
"Get out of my way," he said quietly, the menace obvious in his voice.
"Chris! Show him some respect," Vin snarled. As much as Chris was his friend, he wouldn't have Kanahe pushed aside. He was the leader of the village and it was his right to say how things would be done. Larabee stared at Vin, then looked down, ashamed at his own high-handedness.
"I'm sorry." His words directed at Tanner and then at Kanahe. "I'm sorry, Kanahe. Vin's right. This is your home. I should ask your permission to see her. But..."
"Chris Larabee, do not trouble yourself with this," Kanahe said. "You will see her, but there are things you must understand first."
Although Chris was anxious to see Ella Gaines, he knew he must be patient. But patience had never been one of his strong points.
"C'mon, Chris, sit down and let them tell us what they need to," Buck said, taking Chris' arm and pulling him back to the fire. Larabee took a deep breath and let it out, trying to draw in some calm. He nodded and sat back down.
As they settled back around the fire, a scream shattered the quiet.
"Shit!" Buck jumped up. "What the hell was that?"
Kanahe and Vin exchanged a look, then Vin turned to the others.
"Is that Ella?" Chris asked quietly.
"Yes," Tanner replied. Chris nodded.
"What the hell are they doing to her, Vin?" Buck asked, sickened by the screams. "It sounds like they're killin' her!"
"She far from dying, Buck. They're teachin' her a lesson in pain."
Chris flinched as another scream echoed around the village. The Indians went about their business as if it was normal hearing a woman scream like that. But than, he guessed it was by now. She'd been here over a week.
"Chris, we can't just sit here and let this go on," Buck insisted.
Larabee ignored him. "I want to see her," he told Kanahe. "I won't interfere, at least not yet. But I want to see her."
Kanahe didn't respond for a long time. Then he nodded. Chris stood and walked toward where the screams came from. Vin caught up with him just before he entered the clearing.
"Chris, remember what I told you. Ella killed Little Dove's son. She is the one giving out the punishment. Please, she won't understand if you take away her right to justice."
"What about my right to justice, Vin? I want that woman to pay for what she did to my wife and son."
"Chris, I understand that. And she will pay for that. But she must be made to pay for the Indian life she took as well. And that won't happen in a white man's court. Little Dove speaks English Chris. Talk to her. Listen to her. That's all I ask."
"Alright. I'll talk to her. But first I want to see Ella."
Vin nodded and turned to lead Chris to where Ella was being held, Buck and Kanahe following the two men.
They entered the clearing and Chris froze. Like Vin earlier, he could only see Ella from the back. But unlike Vin, he knew who it was before he could see her face. He stared at the marks on her back. He stomach churned as he remembered the smooth skin that he'd spent many nights caressing. That skin now sported several jagged cuts, blood flowing freely from the most recently applied.
"Dear, God!" Buck gasped. "Cut her down! How can you do that to a woman? How could you do that to anyone?"
Buck started forward, only to be stopped by a strong grip on his arm.
"Chris?" Buck's raised his eyes until his gaze settled on his old friend's face. Larabee clutched Buck's arm, but was watching the scene before him, staring at the marred back of the woman he'd once thought about spending his life with.
Chris was torn. He'd thought he loved her once. But whenever he remembered those days spent in passion in her bed, the vision of his burnt out cabin always pushed thoughts of her away. And the rage returned. His stomach protested his thoughts of life with Ella.
He'd had hopes of settling down again, of maybe even being a father again, when she'd presented him with the ranch she'd bought for them. Those thoughts were overwhelmed by the guilt that was now his constant companion. The guilt of knowing that his past with her was the cause of his family's deaths. The guilt of knowing he had bedded the woman that he would later learn had killed that family.
A scream brought him out of the despair he'd been drowning in. His grip tightened on Buck's arm, when the bigger man tried to pull away from him.
"Leave it be, Buck."
"Chris?" Wilmington turned to face him, shock and confusion evident on his face. "How can you let them do this to her? I know what she done to your family, but that doesn't give anyone the right to torture her," he pleaded.
Vin and Kanahe stood a distance away, waiting for the two men to finish their discussion. Vin had known that Buck would react this way, it was why he'd hoped that Chris would come alone. But, he also knew that Buck had lost family that night too. Sarah and Adam were as much a part of Buck's family as Chris was. And Buck was carrying his own brand of guilt having been the one to talk Chris into staying that extra night in Mexico.
He knew that it would be difficult for both men to deal with this confrontation with Ella. But it was necessary. The wounds had been festering for far too long and needed to be cleansed. After seeing Chris with Ella, he'd known that the man was ready to put his grief in the past and get on with his life.
But Ella wasn't the one he should spend that life with.
She was a murderous bitch who needed to be shown a small portion of the pain she had inflicted. And Vin knew that a white man's court would never allow that to happen. Oh, they might hang her. Might. But the chances of that were just too slim for Vin's piece of mind. More than likely, they would put her in prison. But even that wasn't assured.
Vin knew that Ella's looks and charm could keep her from ever seeing the inside of a prison. As he'd told Chris and Buck earlier, a male jury could all too easily be swayed by a pretty face and tears. He'd seen it happen. And he just couldn't take the chance of Ella being found innocent.
He had almost decided to wait until she was dead before wiring Chris. He hadn't wanted to put his friend through this. Hadn't wanted to force him to make this choice. But he also knew that Chris deserved the chance to confront her. He only hoped that the two men didn't try to take her by force. He knew if that happened, he would have a tough choice of his own to make.
"I promised not to interfere before I talked to Little Dove, Buck. Let me hear her side of the story first."
"Chris, we can't let them continue to torture her. It's barbaric. These sav... these Indians can't be allowed to do this."
"Savages? Is that what you were going to say, Buck?" Vin asked from behind them. Buck turned to face him. "They aren't savages!" He turned and called to the Indian woman standing behind Ella. White Dove looked at him, then at the two white men with him. She put the switch on the ground and walked toward them, her head raised in silent defiance.
As she got closer, they could see the pain and grief in her eyes. Vin spoke softly to her in her own language. She nodded and walked toward the center of the village.
"She is willing to tell you her story," Vin said, gesturing for them to follow her. Chris took one last took at Ella, before turning and following, along with Buck, Kanahe and Tonti.
"Little Dove, this is my friend Chris Larabee. The white woman also killed Chris' young son and his wife. This happened years ago, about the time that your youngest son was born. The other man is Buck. He is family who also grieves their loss." Vin spoke to the woman in English as the group settled around the fire.
"Chris, remember that The People don't speak of the dead by name," Vin reminded him.
Chris nodded. He was familiar with that custom. Vin and Josiah both had mentioned it to him in the past.
Little Dove, like many others in the tribe, spoke English well. Her voice was soft and filled with a pain only a parent who had lost a child could understand. Since Vin had told her that the white woman had also killed Chris Larabee's wife and child, it was to him that she directed her words.
"We helped this white woman. She was sick and hurt when she was found. She was brought to our village and tended until she was well. Red Cloud and Swift Eagle were going to take her close to the white man's town. She was to be given a horse and supplies for the ride. They would have ridden with her for a distance so that she would be safe. She did not want to wait until the braves were ready to take her.
"She was afraid of us, even after we helped her. She would not talk to us, even though we spoke in her tongue. She wanted to leave, so she stole a horse. But she was not used to riding without saddle and at first had trouble controlling the horse."
"Then it was an accident!" Buck interjected. "You can't kill her for being scared."
White Dove turned her sad eyes toward the big man. "No. She quickly learned to control the horse by holding his mane. She began to ride out of the village, but the men stopped her."
"Why?" Chris asked. "Why did they stop her if they'd planned to give her a horse anyway? Why not just let her ride away?"
Kanahe spoke up then. "Because the horse we planned to give her was old, unable to work any longer. The horse she tried to steal was with child and my village needed the new colt."
Chris nodded his understanding and looked back at Little Dove. She took that as her cue to continue.
"Kanahe tried to tell her that she could leave, that we would give her another horse. She refused. She didn't want to wait any longer. As the men got closer she began kicking at them and turning the horse in circles. She was good on the horse...for a white woman."
"That doesn't surprise me," Chris said. "She was always a good horsewoman. So, you tried to stop her and she panicked. What happened after that?"
"She began screaming. Some of her words I did not understand. But she said that if we did not let her go she would damage our village. And then she would tell all the white men in the town that we harmed her. We feared that she would bring them back to destroy us. So Kanahe told the men to step back and let her go."
"I don't understand. If Kanahe told them to let her ride out, how did she end of killing your son?" Chris asked.
Pain flashed across Little Dove's face and her eyes watered. "She was angry. She told Kanahe that we should not have tried to keep her here. She turned her horse in circles and then she faced Kanahe again. She smiled. She looked evil. She told Kanahe that he would..." Little Dove turned to Kanahe and spoke briefly in their native language.
Kanahe looked at Chris. "She told me that we would regret keeping her here. That we would suffer for not following her wishes."
Little Dove watched Chris' face to be sure he understood. "She then turned her horse and looked at the women who had been around the sewing fire. They were standing now watching to see what would happen. She began to ride toward them. They ran. Tunah picked up my son and began to run with him. She stumbled and fell. My son fell from her arms. The white woman turned and rode her horse over them."
"Oh, God!" Chris said, closing his eyes. Buck just sat there with a stunned look on his face.
Little Dove took a deep breath, trying to keep her tears from falling. "Tunah has many bruises and cuts on her back and her legs. My son was struck in the head with a hoof. He was not breathing when I got to him. The white woman laughed. I heard her laugh as she tried to ride away." Little Dove put her head in her hands and wept.
Tonti took up the narrative. "My wife sat on the ground, clutching our son to her chest. I could not allow the woman to escape. I was in the path of her horse. I leaped at her and was able to drag her to the ground. I wanted to beat her to death. But Kanahe stopped me."
Kanahe placed a hand on Tonti's shoulder. "It was decided to have a tribal council to determine her fate. We had the boy's, how you say...." He turned to Vin and asked a question in his native language.
"Funeral," Vin supplied.
Kanahe nodded. "We had the boy's funeral and then the council met. Many, including Tonti, wanted to kill her and leave her body to the animals. But Little Dove would not allow it. She insisted, as the mother of the child killed, that it was her right to determine how the woman died. And of course she is correct. So, the woman's fate is in Little Dove's hands."
"Chris, we can't let them just kill her!" Buck pleaded. "That's murder."
"Is it?" Chris replied. "Is it any different then hanging her would be. Face it, Buck, she has to die for what she did. And, God forgive me, I'm not opposed to seeing her suffer some before she does."
"Chris!" Buck was shocked. He knew that Chris Larabee had been through hell since his family's death, but he never thought he'd hear the man condone torture, especially not the torture of a woman.
"What do you want me say, Buck? That bitch killed my family! My wife and my son. He was only five! Then she killed another child--a three-year old boy...deliberately ran him down! She needs to die!"
"She needs to be brought back for trial," Wilmington insisted.
The others watched the two men grapple with their consciences. Vin watched two friends possibly being torn apart. He would do what he could to help.
"Buck, if you were on that jury, would you convict her?" Vin asked.
"Of course I would."
"And would you sentence her to hang?"
"Without hesitation."
"Then what's the problem? She's gonna die either way."
"My way, she wouldn't be tortured first! My God, Vin, did you see what they're doing to her?"
"Yeah, I did. And I can't say I wouldn't do the same, if it was my child."
Buck's jawed dropped. Then he smirked.
"Well, I can't say that don't surprise me, Tanner. Always knew there was a little bit of..."
"Buck!" Chris snapped, knowing what his friend was about to say and not wanting him to make any enemies in the village, especially Vin Tanner.
Wilmington jerked and looked over at Larabee. For several long seconds they glared at each other. Then Buck seemed to reign in his rage just a bit and calmed down.
"Are you just gonna go along with this, Chris? You ain't never hurt a woman in your life. Least not on purpose. How can you allow this?'
"You're right, I would never hurt a woman. But that ain't a woman over there, Buck. That's a monster. It's bad enough that she hired Fowler to kill my family. But she killed a young child just to make a point. Did you hear what Little Dove said? Ella turned her horse and rode straight for Tunah and the boy. Deliberately ran them down. And laughed about it, Buck! She laughed after trampling a three-year old boy! He was younger than A..." He glanced around, remembering Vin's warnings. "He was younger than my son."
Chris reached over and grabbed Buck's arm with his hand. "Imagine if that had been my boy. And if we'd seen it happen. I can't get that imagine out of my head, Buck. Maybe Vin's right. Maybe this is the best way to handle it.'
"What?! Chris, we have to take her back for trial. We have to do this the right way. We're lawmen, for God's sake."
"My son was only five years old, Buck. She has to pay for what she did."
Buck jerked his arm out of Chris' grasped.
"I can't sit here and condone this! And I can't sit here and listen to that woman's screams. I understand you want justice, Chris, but this ain't the way. Nobody deserves to die like that. Nobody."
"Suit yourself."
Buck stood and walked away. Chris and Vin followed him with their eyes, then turned to look at each other.
"You want I should go talk to him?" Vin asked.
"No, he's too angry right now. I want to see her."
Vin nodded and turned to Little Dove. "May we go speak with the woman now?"
Little Dove raised her head. She glanced at Vin, then turned to look at Chris. These white men had accepted her story as truth before even talking to the woman. Even the angry one had known the truth, even if he didn't accept the punishment the woman was receiving. She and Chris stared at each other for a long time before she gave a small nod.
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